From Genes to Ecosystems: Biological and Toxicological Impacts of Marine Pollution

Dear Colleagues,

Marine pollution poses a complex threat to oceanic life, affecting biological systems at scales ranging from molecular alterations to ecosystem disruptions. Marine ecosystems are increasingly exposed to complex mixtures of pollutants—ranging from legacy contaminants like heavy metals and hydrocarbons to emerging substances such as pharmaceuticals, nanoplastics, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These stressors impact marine organisms across multiple biological levels, from molecular and cellular alterations to disrupted populations and ecosystems. A comprehensive understanding of how pollution translates into ecological dysfunction requires multi-scale biological approaches that trace adverse effects from genes to ecosystems.

This Special Issue aims to integrate research elucidating how contaminants—including heavy metals, microplastics, pharmaceuticals, and emerging pollutants—impact marine organisms across biological levels. Advances in omics technologies and molecular toxicology now enable detailed analysis of sublethal stress responses and adverse outcome pathways (AOPs), linking cellular effects to population and community changes. Traditionally, marine pollution research focused on acute toxicity and organismal mortality; however, modern molecular tools have transformed the field by revealing sublethal and early-warning effects at molecular and cellular levels and connecting these findings to community structure and ecosystem resilience. This systems-level thinking aligns with emerging frameworks such as AOPs and One Health approaches to marine ecosystem protection.

Recognizing that interactions between pollution and climate-related stressors amplify ecological risks, this Special Issue emphasizes holistic assessments through interdisciplinary approaches combining molecular, physiological, ecological, and modeling tools. It seeks to showcase studies that bridge mechanistic toxicology with ecological risk, prioritizing both novel biological responses and broader environmental consequences. Specific research foci include the following:

• Omics-based studies (transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics) revealing subcellular stress;
• Adverse outcome pathway (AOP) frameworks applied to marine organisms;
• Systems toxicology approaches that link biomarkers to ecological endpoints;
• Food web disruptions and trophic transfer of contaminants;
• Interactions between pollutants and climate stressors;
• Innovative in vitro or in silico models for marine ecotoxicology.

By bridging mechanistic insights with ecosystem-level outcomes, this Special Issue aims to advance marine ecotoxicology and contribute to sustainable stewardship of marine environments amid escalating anthropogenic pressures. We invite original research papers integrating multiple biological levels of response, reviews summarizing mechanistic-to-ecological linkages, modeling papers bridging molecular toxicology with population or ecosystem dynamics, comparative studies across taxa/life stages/ecosystems, and field/laboratory studies with implications for ecological risk assessment or regulatory frameworks.

Prof. Dr. Ali B. Ishaque
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• marine pollution
• ecotoxicology
• biomarkers
• adverse outcome pathways (AOPs)
• omics technologies
• molecular toxicology
• emerging contaminants
• food web disruption
• trophic transfer
• ecosystem-level effects